The Joy of Toys at
Christmas
Although adults like to receive gifts, many will
readily forego the
pleasure by sacrificing, if it means a small member
of the family will be totally pleased and delighted
with their Christmas gift. Seeing the sparkle of joy
in children's eyes when they receive a toy or other
Christmas present certainly confirms that Christmas
is for children. And after all, Santa brings gifts
for all the good little boys and girls, not for moms
and dads or other adults.
It was very humorous, as parents once related how on
Christmas Day when their child opened a Christmas
gift and was pleased, they pretended to be a bit
saddened that Santa Claus didn't bring them any
Christmas present. The child responded, 'Because you
bad mummy and daddy. You make me stand in corner.'
Toys are therefore a significant part of Christmas.
Parents go all out for children, they make the extra
effort to give children something really special
such as what the child wishes, desires or longs for.
It may be a toy such as a particular type of doll, a
dream dollhouse or an item like a bike or train set,
or motorized vehicle. The fun of getting a toy at
Christmas begins earlier for children as they start
to make their wish list and anticipate getting one
or more of what they desire.
For teenagers, the most desired toy may not be a toy
in the real sense of the word. A toy, in today's
casual speech, can mean a favorite gadget such as an
ultra-stylish cell phone, an iPod, MP3 player,
electronic organizer or even a computer.
Toy sales at Christmas play a major role in the
economics of retailers in the toy industry. Toy
makers use the Christmas season to release new and
updated products with the hope of capturing a
significant slice of the billions of dollars that
consumers spend during the holidays.
The strategy among toy makers has been to release a
new product that hope will be the 'must-have' toy
for the season. Consequently, they try to create
buzz about the product and have a specific release
date, all with the hope that parents and other
consumers will clamor for the item and even make it
sold-out or hard to obtain as the season progresses.
Such driving demand can easily justify a spike in
the price of the item.
Toys have also evolved beyond dolls, trains and cars
to be very
interactive and educational. The popularity of
educational toys and the presence of increased
technology have combined to produce many toys that
are highly computerized.
Receiving a toy as a gift at Christmas can play an
important role in
creating a lasting memory. When a child gets the
right toy - one that is highly desired or is
surprised by a wonderful toy - he or she will
remember the feeling it brought for a lifetime and
recall it whenever there's talk of which Christmas
was a favorite. It also helps to create a tradition
as the child becomes an adult and wants to recapture
a similar feeling by seeking to do the same for his
or her own child.
Then, there are the children with a wish list that's
basically a hope to get something, any toy at
Christmas. Many companies, businesses, churches and
social organizations arrange to have members donate
new and age appropriate toys that are distributed to
children in need. Putting a smile on the faces of
those children will create warm memories about
Christmas and Santa Claus for them. And by
participating in a charitable effort, the donors are
themselves Santa Claus and spreaders of goodwill and
cheer that embody the meaning of Christmas.